Separable fastener



Dec. 16, 1930. GQUNDBACK I 1,785,234

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Feb. 14,, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec.. 6, 1930. e. ISUNDBACK I v 5,

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Feb. .14, 1925 3 SheetsSheet 2 2; i INVENER BY 4 ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1930. 6. SUNDBACK 1,785,234.

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Feb. 1 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 g INZNTQR 52 BY I ATTORNEY Patented Deals, 1930 Qumran srA rEs "PATENT oFrici-i GIDEON SUNDBAOK, OF MEA'DVILLE,

' TENER COMPANY, OF KEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL VANIA SEPARABLE FASTENER Application filed February 14, 1925. Serial-No. 9,087.

This invention relates to separable fasteners of the slider controlled type and has for its object to rovide such device which is flexible, yet which Will not become accidentally unfastened. Another object is to provide a -fastener which will not come unfastened under tension on the stringers in any direction.

One form of slide type fastener comprises resilient locking members arranged to be spread by cam surfaces in the slider to engage ordisengage the edge of the opposite stringer. These are open to the objection of being likely to come unfastened' due to the resilient locking members spreading under a transverse stress. a

According to this invention, a fastener is provided having locking members capable of'being deformed by cam surfaces in the slider for'cooperation with looking members on the opposite stringer arranged in such way that the two members cannot be disengaged under tensional stress in any direction. Resilient clips are secured to one stringer and complementary locking members secured to the .opposite stringer, the

ends of the resilient clips being bent at sub stantially right angles so that they may be securely engaged within or around the opposite locking member and .cannot become accidentally unfastened under stress.

. In the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 shows one form of new fastener partly opened and partly closed, r

'Fig. 2 illustrates the slider actuating the locking membersof Fig. 1, I

'Fig. 3 is a section on the line 30-31; of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line -411 of Fig.1,

Fi 5 is a detail of one of the securing mgm I, i f I.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the device of. Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 shows one Fig. 8 is a side view of the device of Fig.- -7,

Fig. 9 is a perspective of another locking member on the opposite stringer from that of the member shown in Figs. 7 and .8,

of the clip locking memwhich are passed through the tape 25, and are clamped Fig. 11 is a section on 'the line Ila-41a the line le -12a Fig. 14 is a perspective of the locking members located on the left hand stringer of Fig. 10

Fig. 16 is a side view of the device of Fig. 15,

Fig. 17 illustrates still another embodimentof this invention,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO HOOKLESS FAS- Fig. 15 1s a plan view of one of the spring f Fig. 18 is a section on the line 18a18a l of Fig. 17,

- Fig. 19 is of Fig. 17,

' Fig. 20 is a side view of the slider shown in Fig. 17

Fig. 21 is a perspective of one of the spring clip members, and

Fig. 22 is a perspective of one of the lockthe left hand stringer of a section on the'line 19a-'19a mg members on Fig. 17.

Referring to thefembodiment of the invention illustrated in F i s. 1-9, inclusive, the

fastener comprises stringers of flexible tape 25 along the edges of which are sewed cords 26, the locking members being clamped to the corded edge of the tape. Along one stringer l are fa'stened'the spring clips 28 which engage the locking members 27 of the opposite stringer and are controlled by the slider 29. The lockin secured to the left stringer of 'Fi 1 by means of compressible jaws 30f. Ont e longitudinal edge of this locking member is provided a pro ection 31 having flanges extendin transversely in the manner indicated an forming a T-shaped projection. To retain, the 'eldable clips 28 1n osition, the flanges of t e projection 31 may be recessed as illusme'mber illustrated in Fig. 9 is tratedat 32. The locking members on the I opposite stringer comprise yieldable clips 28 bent around the corded edge,-

onto said corded edge. Either side of the spring clip or both together may be regarded as a yieldable projection. The ends 33 of the clips are bent at substantially right angles so as to provide surfaces to engage the back of the flanges of projection 31 and firmly retain the members locked so that they will not come apart under a transverse stress. To firmly position the locking members 28 upon the corded edge there are provided compressible jaw members 35 securely clamped to the corded edge above and below the locking member 28, as illustrated in Figs. 1, and

3-6, inclusive. Within the slider 29 and projecting from the reinforced portion between the diverging channels are located the cam surfaces 36 which are shaped to spread the spring clips for engagement with the opposite locking member. A pull device 37 is preferably located adjacent the longitudinal and transverse center of the slider for movin it either way.

In ig. 10 is illustrated another form of this invention in which the spring clips are compressible for engagement with the opposite locking member. Here again, each of the locking members 38 and 39 are secured to the corded edges 26 of tape stringers 25 and the engagement of these members controlled by the slider 40. From Figs. 11, 12, 15 and 16 it will be seen that each s ring sli locking member 38 is sha ed as illustrated to be clamped to the cordbd ed e and to pass through the tape 25. Each 0 ip 38 has a pair of projecting spring arms whose outer ends 41 are bent at substantially ri ht angles and in an outward direction since t e clip is compressible for enga ement with the recess 43 in the opposite loc ing member 39. To help retain the spring clips 38 in proper alignment, an additional securing or bracing means 46, illustrated in Fig. 13, is used, which comprises compressible jaws 47 for clamping the same u on the corded edge. The portion of the mem er 46 between the jaws is recessed at 48 to provide a space through which the compresslble portions of the spring clip lockm member 38 may project and on either side 0 the recess 48 are portions 49 and 50, which engage the locking member 38 and help keep the compressible projection portion of the locking member at substantially a right angle to the corded edge. The opposite locklng members 39 comprise compressible jaws 42 for clamping the member around the corded edge, as illustrated in Fi s. 11 and 12. At the op osite end of this loc ing member is rovi ed a recess 43, closed on all sides of t e metal 44 so that when the expansible projection of the opposite looking member is once engaged its ends 41 will not come out of the recess in any direction. The longitudinal sides of said recess form flanges on the body sides. Stamped and bent tongues 45 in the sides of the locking member 39 engage the corded ed e and enable it to be compressed and the loc 'ng member securely clamped in position. 'Instead of wedge shaped cam surfaces which spread the spring clips of the locking member as in the previous modification, this embodiment includes cam surfaces 51 within the slider, as illustrated in Fi s. 10 and 12 for the purpose of compressing t e spring clips or projection portions for engagement with the recess 43 of the locking member 39.

In Fig. 17 is illustrated yet another embodiment in which the cord 52 on the edge of the tape 25 is enclosed beneath the metal by the stringer or tape, preferably after the locking members have been clamped in position so that less metal parts are exposed and the track of the slider is of woven material instead of metal. The locking member 53 is the expansible cli type for cooperation with the recess 59 o the opposite locking member 54 and the en agement between these members is controlle by the slider 55. As shown in Fig. 21, the locking member 53 comprises a tubular portion 56 which is compressible around the cord 52 and the expansible rojections have their ends 57 bent outward y at substantially a right angle as illustrated. To facilitate entry of the spring clip and its ends 57 into the slider channels, the ends may be bevelled. at 58 as illustrated. The fabric of the tape or stringer 25 is perforated to allow the cq'mpressible projection portion of the lockingmember to extend therethrough as illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19. After the locking member 53 is in position on the cord 52 the strin r fabric 25 may then be sewed in place. 11 the opposite stringer, the locking member 54 is secured to the stringer by means of the prongs 60 extending mto the cord 52 and bent over as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 18 and 19 for the urpose of securing this locking member in p ace. After the ends of the prongs have been bent over, as illustrated, the stringer fabric 25 may then be sewed together as illustrated at the left side of Fig. 18. At the time the prongs 60 are inserted into the cord 52, the woven fabric ma be secured to the cord or may be positione relatively to the cord, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 18, this material being brought around to enclose the cord 52 after the ends of the prongs 60 have been bent. The slider 55 is provided with cam surfaces 61 for compressing the projection portion of the locking member 53 during its engagement with the recess of the member 54. W1th movement of the slider in the opposite direction to open the fastener, the spring cli s are compressed by the cam surfaces and t en the diverging channels of the slider cause the two loc g members to be disen aged. v

In eac embodiment of this invention the ends of the spring clips are bent to form a substantial right angle so that the locking firmly hold because the force will 'be sub stantially normal to the contact surfaces 'between the two locking members, that is between the surface formed by one side of the bent ends of the s ring clip and by the cooperating surface of ber engaged by these bent ends. The ends of the spring clips may also be bent slightly more than 90 if desired in order to more firmly retain the locking members engaged, but t e angle should be only a small amount over 90 due to the bent ends of the sprin clips moving through an arc in being engaged or disengaged with the opposite locking 'member. If the projection portion of the spring, clip locking members were shorter and the arc of travel of their bent ends greater, the bend at the ends could be slightly increased. The recessed form of locking member being enclosed prevents the spring, clips from sli ing out of position due to any longitudinal or other displacement between the stringers. The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 has the notched portion 32 to help res tain the expansible ends of the spring clip locking member in position and revent, lonitudinal movement between t e rom unfastenin the members.

Among the a vantages of this invention may be enumerated the increased flexibility stringers of the fastener which may be greater or less,

according to the spacin between locking members on the same stringer. The spacing between the locking membersals'o controls the cost of this fastener since the use of a minimum number of locking members er unit len h produces a lessexpensive .astenor. nother advantage resides in the spring clifp type of locking member beingsecurely astened to its opposite locking member and not capable of being disengaged under severe transverse strain, or, in fact, disengaged by a strain in any dimotion, or by relative movement between the stringers. While notnecessary,-it is preferred that the ends of the spring clips be bent'to form a substantial right angle in order to better withstand transverse tension tending to separate the stringers, since if the bend were less than a right angle the force would be separated into components tending to compress or expand the spring cli projection members and might result int e disengagement of the lockin members. The additional securing means s own in Figs. 5 and 6 of the first modification, or Fig. 13 of the second modification, helps retainthe yieldable ends of the spring clip locking member in'their correct position for proper engagement with the opposite locking member and prevents the yieldable ends from being moved out of place. A further advantage in this the opposite locking mem-- fastener resides in the locking members being made of either sheet or wire stock, which is adapted for fabrication by automatic machines. The cam surfaces within the slider,

1. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of stringers having a plurality of pairs of opposed locking members, one member of each pair having a recess and the other member of each pair having resilient projections flexed to grip opposite edges of said recess.

2. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of stringers having a plurality of pairs of opposed locking members, one member of each pair having a resilient projection and the other member of each pair having means shaped to retain such projection, and a slider controlling the engagement -of said members having a cam surface acting directly on said for engagement with said retaining means. 3. A shde type fastener comprising a pair in Figs. 1 to 9 forms the subject matter of divisional application Serial No. 260,493, filed March 9, 1928. a

I claim:

of flexible strin ers, lockin members on one stringer provi ed normally sprung ap'ai t, cooperating members on the o posite stringer being provided with means sl aped to engage and retain said first mentioned locking members ieldable ortions in engagement, and a sli er control 'ng the engagement of said means with the yieldable portions of said lockin members, said slider havin cam surfaces %or com ressing said yieldab e portions toward eac other when moved longitudinally along said gteringers to engage and disengage sai memrs. v '4. 'A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible strin ers, lockin members on one stringer provi ed with glieldable portions, cooperating members on t e opposite stringer being provided with means shaped to engage and retain said first mentioned locking members ieldable and a sli er' contro ling the engagement of said means with the yieldable ortions of said lockin members, said slider avin cam surfaces which act directly on saidv yie dable portions in the-direction of their yielding movement to distort said yieldable portion to en age and disengage said members when the s der is moved longitudinally along saidstrin rs.

5. slide type fastener comprising a pair ith yieldable portions v projection, cooperating members on the opposite stringer each being provided with a recess shaped to receive the projection of the opposite member and retain the same against longitudinal movement, and a slider having means acting directly on said proj ection in the direction of its resilient action to deform said projection suificiently to permit engagement and disengagement from said recess.

6. A separable fastener having cooperating pairs of locking members, one member of each pair having yieldable portions normally held apart and adapted when compressed toward each other to be free to move into and out of engagement with the other member of the pair, and a slider having cam surfaces for compressing said yieldable portions when moved longitudinally along the fastener.

7. A slide type fastener comprising a pairof flexible stringers, recessed locking mem: bers on one stringer, and locking members on the opposite stringer each provided with resilient projections flexed outwardly to engage the respective op osite edges of a single recess in one of said rst mentioned locking members.

8. A locking member for a slide type-fastener comprising a bent wire projection member clamped to a tape, additional means longitudinally on each side of said wire member for retaining the same in position, said means comprising a sheet metal U-shaped member perforated to receive the rojectmg portion of the wire member, and iiaving inturned edges for clamping the same to the corded edge of a tape.

9. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprism a U-shaped member having inturned e ges at one extreme end of such member for clamping one side of the corded edge of a strin er and having tongues spaced from said en and bent around the opposite side of said corded edge, the ends of said tongues projecting free of the body portion of said member, and an interlocking portion for cooperation with locking means on an opposite stringer.

10. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, a pluralit of locking members on the longitudinal e ge of one stringer having recesses disposed in a. plane transverse to that of said strmger, and a plurality of locking members on the longitudinal edge of the other stringer each having ,resilient projections normally flexed outmembe wardly in opposite directions to grip opposite sides of a single recess in a. cooperatmg 11. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, a plurality of lockmg members having 'engageable portions mo mted on the longitu inal edge of one stringer, and a plurality of spring clips each having a pair of sprin arms mounted on the longitudinal edge 0 the other stringer, said spring arms of each pair normally being flexed outwardly from each other to grip the engageable portions of said locking members and adapted to be sprung toward each other to effect disengagement.

12. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a bent wire projection member clamped to a tape, and means longitudinally on each side of said wire member for retaining the same in position longitudinally, said means comprising a separate jaw member clamped to the tape with portions on each side longitudinally of the wire member.

13. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, a plurality of locking members on one stringer, a plurality of spring clips on the other stringer flexed so that they will not normally move into interlocking engagement with said locking members, and a slider having a cam surface acting transversely to the lane of said stringers and directly on sai spring clips to distort said spring clips from their normal position to permit their moving into engagement with said locking members.

' 14. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising-compressible jaws for clamping against the inner side of the corded edge of a tape, compressible tongues cut out of the body of said member for clamping against the outer side of said corded edge, and a portion spaced from the edge of the tape and shaped for engagement with a locking member on an opposite tape.

15. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers having a plurality of pairs of cooperating locking members, one member of each pair having yieldable projections flexible inwardly and outwardly from each other and the other member of each pair having opposite edges, said projections being broug t directly into interlockin engagement with said edges when norma 1y flexed outwardly from each other.

16. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising an interlocking portion shaped .to engage a locking member on an opposite stringer, means for clamping said member to a tape, and a separate bracing member engaging said locking member longitudinally on each side to retain the same in osition.

1 A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, a plurality of locking members having recesses on the longitudinal edge of one stringer, a pluralit of spring clips on the longitudinal edge 0 the other jaw ends, and a slider having laterally di verging channels for controlling the engagement of said locking members and cooperating members-on the opposite stringer.

19. A slide type fastener comprising a pair of flexible strin ers having corded edges, a plurality of locking members on the corded edge of one stringer, and a plurality of spring clips looped over the corded edge of the opposite stringer and having projecting portions normally flexed outwardly to maintain them in engagement with the looking members on said first mentioned stringer. 20. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a U-shaped sheet metal member having inturned edges for clamping one side. of the corded edge of a stringer and having ears bent around the opposite side of said corded edge, and a recess in said memher in a plane normal to said corded edge.

21. A slide fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, and a series of locking members on each of said stringers, each of the members of one series having a pair of resilient arms projecting laterally of the stringer, the free ends of said arms being bent in diflerent directions away from each other to provide interlocking means for engagement with the members of the other series.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 30th day of January, A. D. 1925. y I

GIDEON SUNDBACK. 

